Understanding the Utilization of Qualitative Inquiry in Public Health Nutrition Research

Qualitative inquiry, often characterized by non-numerical data, remains an underutilized tool in various research spheres including public health nutrition. However, there is an existing shared common ground with quantitative research, in that qualitative research can be a useful complementary tool in explaining the underlying meanings of quantitative data by unpacking the complexities of human behaviour and its relation to disease. Moreover, the qualitative approach is often commended for humanizing research by creating a space for the voices and contributions of the participants. Despite such perceived benefits, the position and relevance of qualitative researchers, techniques, and findings in the body of knowledge continue to be questioned and undervalued. Divergent views on the validity and reliability of qualitative research persist. Consequently, the use of qualitative research methods and the publication of qualitative evidence remain limited in the natural sciences, including public health nutrition. This paper discusses qualitative research--its definition, research design, importance and relevance. Additionally, using specific examples, this paper will elucidate the possibilities and challenges of using qualitative techniques and marrying qualitative and quantitative methodologies in public health nutrition research.

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Sex and gender differences in nutrition research: considerations with the transgender and gender nonconforming population

Nutrition Journal ◽

10.1186/s12937-021-00662-z ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 20 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Whitney Linsenmeyer ◽

Jennifer Waters

Keyword(s):

Gender Equity ◽

The Body ◽

Sex And Gender ◽

Validity And Reliability ◽

Nutrition Interventions ◽

Step Method ◽

Gender Nonconforming ◽

Nutrition Research ◽

Surveillance Programs ◽

And Gender

AbstractA sex- and gender-informed approach to study design, analysis and reporting has particular relevance to the transgender and gender nonconforming population (TGNC) where sex and gender identity differ. Notable research gaps persist related to dietary intake, validity and reliability of nutrition assessment methods, and nutrition interventions with TGNC populations. This is due in part to the conflation of sex and gender into one binary category (male or female) in many nutrition surveillance programs worldwide. Adoption of the Sex and Gender Equity In Research (SAGER) guidelines and the two-step method of querying sex and gender has the potential to exponentially increase the body of research related to TGNC health.

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Hard facts and misfits: essential ingredients of public health nutrition research

Proceedings of The Nutrition Society ◽

10.1017/s0029665121000574 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 1-22

Author(s):

Ann Prentice

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Public Health Nutrition ◽

Nutrition Research

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Strengthening public health nutrition research and training capacities in West Africa: Report of a planning workshop convened in Dakar, Senegal, 26–28 March 2009

Global Public Health ◽

10.1080/17441692.2010.526126 ◽

2010 ◽

Vol 5 (sup1) ◽

pp. S1-S19 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

Kenneth H. Brown ◽

Milla McLachlan ◽

Placido Cardosa ◽

Félicité Tchibindat ◽

Shawn K. Baker

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

West Africa ◽

Public Health Nutrition ◽

Nutrition Research ◽

And Training

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Qualitative research skills acquisition within social work doctoral education using project-based learning

Qualitative Social Work ◽

10.1177/1473325019881190 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 19 (5-6) ◽

pp. 864-881

Author(s):

Fan Yang ◽

Quentin R Maynard ◽

Sarah R Young ◽

Jennifer L Kenney ◽

Brad Barber ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Social Work ◽

Doctoral Students ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Doctoral Education ◽

Qualitative Inquiry ◽

Project Based Learning ◽

Skills Acquisition ◽

Research Traditions ◽

Social Work Research

The future of social work research relies on the intellect and competence of current doctoral students. These future scholars who receive doctoral education that values qualitative inquiry will create a system where qualitative research traditions receive the same privilege as quantitative research traditions. Project-based learning provides learning opportunities that can challenge assumptions about what academia considers “real” research. This descriptive qualitative study explored key attributes of using project-based learning within two consecutive social work doctoral courses to encourage qualitative research skill development. Students and instructors participated in ideawriting and focus groups to assess the usefulness of PBL within these courses. The findings suggested that PBL may be useful for deepening knowledge about qualitative inquiry and reducing epistemological unconsciousness.

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Connecting nutrition as a hard science and international knowledge networks: Proceedings of the Fourth International Summit on Medical and Public Health Nutrition Education and Research

BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health ◽

10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000090 ◽

2020 ◽

pp. bmjnph-2020-000090

Author(s):

Eden M Barrett ◽

Mhairi Brown ◽

Luke Buckner ◽

James Bradfield ◽

Ali A Khalid ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Nutrition Education ◽

Knowledge Networks ◽

Medical Professionals ◽

Public Health Nutrition ◽

Open Communication ◽

Hard Science ◽

Nutrition Research ◽

International Knowledge ◽

International Summit

IntroductionNutrition is a ‘hard’ science in two ways; the scientific rigour required for quality nutrition research, and equally, the challenges faced in evidence translation. Ways in which quality nutrition research can be synthesised and evidence effectively translated into practice were the focus of the Fourth Annual International Summit on Medical and Public Health Nutrition Education and Research.SettingWolfson College, University of Cambridge, and Addenbrookes Hospital at the Cambridge Biomedical Campus, Cambridge, in July 2018.Key findingsOpen communication and collaboration across disciplines and systems, including transfer of knowledge, ideas and data through international knowledge application networks, was presented as a key tool in enhancing nutrition research and translation of evidence. Increasing basic nutrition competence and confidence in medical professionals is needed to encourage the implementation of nutrition therapy in prevention and treatment of health outcomes.ConclusionsA sustained focus on producing quality nutrition research must be coupled with increased efforts in collaboration and building of knowledge networks, including educating and training multidisciplinary health and medical professionals in nutrition. Such efforts are needed to ensure nutrition is both reliable in its messaging and effective in translation into healthcare.

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Visually Hypothesising in Scientific Paper Writing: Confirming and Refuting Qualitative Research Hypotheses Using Diagrams

Publications ◽

10.3390/publications7010022 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 7 (1) ◽

pp. 22 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Uchendu Chigbu

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Graduate Students ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Qualitative Method ◽

Numerical Data ◽

Scientific Paper ◽

Early Career ◽

Postgraduate Students ◽

Testing Of Hypotheses ◽

Scientific Narratives

Qualitative research involves scientific narratives and the analysis and interpretation of textual or numerical data (or both), mostly from conversations and discussions, to uncover meaningful patterns that describe a particular phenomenon. It is important to know other ways of framing and explaining these nuanced scientific narratives so that they can convey scientific knowledge. A qualitative hypothesis can play this role. The testing of hypotheses in qualitative research—which does not strictly mean the same thing as testing of hypotheses in quantitative research—always comes with challenges that provoke concerns. The questions that scholars, especially undergraduate and postgraduate students, have had to deal with are: Is it possible to “test” hypotheses using a qualitative method? If it is possible, how can this be done? This study deconstructs the concept, notion, and use of the hypotheses. It presents the “how-to” aspect of hypothesising (in qualitative research and inquiries) by using creative diagramming within post-positivist research, and also contributes to the literature on visual communication and qualitative research. The study is a guide to early career scholars (including undergraduate and post-graduate students) on how to formulate and “test” hypotheses qualitatively using visual or diagrammatical approaches.

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Qualitative research between craftsmanship and McDonaldization. A keynote address from the 17th Qualitative Health Research Conference

Qualitative Studies ◽

10.7146/qs.v3i1.6273 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 3 (1) ◽

pp. 56-68 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

Svend Brinkmann

Keyword(s):

Qualitative Research ◽

Social Justice ◽

Political Parties ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

Qualitative Inquiry ◽

Ethical Challenges ◽

Justice Research ◽

The Third ◽

Qualitative Health Research ◽

Social Justice Research

Although qualitative research methods remain marginalized in certain disciplines, qualitative inquiry has within the last couple of decades become generally accepted as a legitimate scientific way of working. Today, society at large is making more use of qualitative research than ever, not just in laudable social justice research, for example, but also in relation to market and consumer research and focus groups for different political parties. With this in mind, I wish to discuss three current questions for qualitative researchers: The first I will refer to as “ethical progressivism versus new ethical challenges”. Is qualitative research as such more ethical and progressive than quantitative research (as some have argued), or do qualitative researchers on the contrary face more elusive and perhaps difficult ethical challenges? The second question is called “solid evidence versus subjective anecdotes”. How should qualitative researchers respond to the current call for evidence? Should they seek legitimacy by accepting the dominant politics of evidence, or should they play by their own rules with the risk of increasing marginalization? The third question is “method versus intuition”. Should qualitative researchers strive for maximum transparency by following accepted methods, or should they proceed more intuitively like artists to create their stories? Both sides of the questions have their influential advocates today. I will argue that all three questions are handled most fruitfully by conceiving of qualitative research as a craft.

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HUBUNGAN PENGETAHUAN IBU TENTANG MAKANAN PENDAMPING ASI (MP-ASI) DENGAN BERAT BADAN BAYI USIA > 6-12 BULAN DI WILAYAH KERJA PUSKESMAS BASUKI RAHMAT KOTA BENGKULU

Jurnal Sains Kesehatan ◽

10.37638/jsk.26.2.30-38 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 26 (2) ◽

pp. 30-38

Author(s):

Yuni Ramadhaniati ◽

Ruri Maiseptya Sari ◽

Nanda Widarti

Keyword(s):

Public Health ◽

Health Center ◽

Quantitative Research ◽

The Body ◽

Complementary Food ◽

Primary Data ◽

Public Health Center ◽

Research Population ◽

Relationship Of ◽

The Relationship

The Relationship between Knowledge about Complementary Food with Baby Weight Aged 6-12 Month in Working Area of Basuki Rahmat Public Health Center Bengkulu CityABSTRAKMakanan pendamping ASI merupakan pelengkap untuk melatih serta membiasakan bayi terhadap makanan yang akan dimakannya setiap hari selain demi memenuhi kebutuhan tubuh yang semakin meningkat seiring dengan pertumbuhan dan perkembangan bayi. Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mempelajari hubungan pengetahuan ibu tentang Makanan Pendamping ASI (MP-ASI) Dengan Berat Badan Bayi Usia 6-12 Bulan di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Basuki Rahmat Kota Bengkulu. Penelitian ini merupakan penelitian kuantitatif, populasi mempunyai kesempatan yang sama untuk dipilih menjadi sample yang akan dijadikan ibu yang memiliki bayi pada usia 6-12 bulan selama bulan Maret sampai dengan April 2018 sebanyak 63 orang di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Basuki Rahmat Kota Bengkulu. Populasi dalam penelitian ini adalah sebanyak 63 orang. Pengumpulan data pada penelitian ini menggunakan kuesioner. Hasil Penelitian dari 63 orang terdapat 25 pengetahuan kurang, 31 yang pengetahuan kurang dan 7 orang yang pengetahuan baik. Dari 63 orang terdapat 15 orang yang berat badan bayi tidak normal, 48 berat badan bayi normal. Ada hubungan pengetahuan ibu tentang Makanan Pendamping ASI (MP-ASI) dengan berat badan Bayi Usia 6-12 Bulan di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Basuki Rahmat Kota Bengkulu dengan kategori hubungan sedang. Diharapkan pihak Puskesmas Basuki Rahmat Kota Bengkulu terutama pada bidan agar dapat meningkatkan program yang berkaitan dengan pemberian makanan pendamping ASI agar dapat meningkatkan kesehatan bayi dan diharapkan memberikan informasi kepada ibu Kata Kunci: berat badan bayi, pengetahuan ibu tentang makanan pendamping ASI (MP-ASI) ABSTRACTComplementary food is a complement to training and familiarizing babies with the food they eat every day in addition to meeting the needs of the body which increases along with the growth and development of the baby. The purpose of this study is to learn about the relationship of knowledge about complementary food with baby weight with Age of 6-12 month in working area of Basuki rahmat Public Health Center Bengkulu City. This study was quantitative research. Population in this study were all mother who had baby with Age of 6-12 month during March to April 2018 with the amount of 63 people in working area of Basuki Rahmat Public Health Center Bengkulu City. Collecting data in this study used primary data with spreaded questionnaire. The result of this study showed: from 63 people there were 25 people with lack of knowledge, 31 people with moderate knowledge and 7 people with good knowledge. from 63 people there were 15 people with baby weight did not normal, 48 people with baby weight normal. there is significant relationship between knowledge about complementary feeding with baby weight with Age of 6-12 month in working area of Basuki rahmat Public Health Center Bengkulu City with moderate category relationship. Keywords: Knowledge about MP-ASI, Baby Weight

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